Tuesday, May 24, 2011

I am LITERARY drowning in homework, I have thi 100 page minimum essay due Friday - they told me I had to do it this past Monday!!!- and it is worth ALL my grade. Which mean that If I don't get it done, I'm screwed.

So I am REALLY sorry to not be able to post anything and I am also very sad :(( I LOVE MY BLOG U_U!!!

But YAY! We have some good news! The In Between Blog will be participating in the Read-a-Thon :DD!

which consist on reading as much as you can from 12:01 am on July 11th to 11:59 pm on July 13th.... considering that recently all I've been able to read is one book a WEEK It'll be SUPER COOL if I read 10 pages :DD!!!

Read Away The Day belongs to Sarah, a blogger who's reviews I personally love because she has a way of writing that makes everything sound poetic and artistic

But why do I need to talk about it when You can see for yourself :)) :

1.- In Between Writing and Reading what do you like to do? Read Away The Day: I love the arts! This includes painting, writing music, singing, and playing the piano and guitar.
I love nature! This includes taking long walks, drives in the country, hiking, swimming at my grandparent's cottage (which they sold...-___-...suckso)...
Hanging out with friends and lazing on the couch. ;)
I'm also obsessed with teacups, antique stores, small towns, bubble tea, photography, and thunderstorms.

In Between Note: lazing on the couch is one of the BEST things to do in between (YY)

3.- A Perfume. A Rock. A Stuffed Animal. RATD: Forever Sunshine (from Bath and Body Works...Best...Fragrance store...Ever!). Turquoise (I'm not the sparkly kind of girl). Bert (My mom's huge teddy bear...The only stuffed animal I refuse to pack away).
4.- Tomorrow the world ends; what book is the chosen one to Read Away our beautiful last day? RATD: I think I would have to read "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" because it sums up my entire childhood. I don't think I've spent a year of growing up without this amazing series. Harry Potter was the character who really opened my eyes to the world of literature. It's the perfect book to read away my last day.

5.- You are part of "The Printed Word" I'm curious about your reasons why? RATD: I am part of "The Printed Word"because I know that I will ALWAYS be a reader. I think my understanding also translated into the literal sense of "The Printed Word" because I am not a fan of kindels or electronic books. I like to hold the physical book in my hands, feel the crips edges of the pages, and smell the unique musk of new and old books. If there ever comes a day when printed books become extinct, I will be very, VERY angry!
6.- I've seen that you're a bit of an artist - more like a lot - what are your biggest passions? RATD: Art, English, and Music are definitely my biggest passions. In fact, I'm going to University next yeart to study both Art and English (I hope to one day become a teacher).
I feel that art is a story in itself. Like a book, it is a tangible piece of beauty. That's why I try to highlight great artists and musicians on my book blog. Writers, artists, musicians - all endeavour to bring their creative ideas to life.
7.- How is it that the decision to make Read Away the Day came? RATD: My friend Justine, a book blogger herself, gave me the link to her blog "A Bookful Of Thoughts". Her site was so beautiful, and the idea looked like such a fun hobby to adopt, that I had to make one myself. I've had so much fun since then!
8.- Last but not least, you are free to give us a more detailed description of your blog. No letter limit :) RATD: -My blog is a fantastical blend of literature, art, and music! I always try to post reviews that are simple and to the point. Read Away the Day is not a blog that will have pages and pages of contrived ramblings.
-It also gives you an insight into the kind of person I am. I have a page dedicated to my own writing, a page for artists, and a page for music.
-Because I read both adult and young adult novels, I hope to introduce amazing writers to both types of readers. There are so many great adult books that can appeal to young adults, and vice versa!
-Read Away the Day is a colourful blog, brimming with fantastic quotes, reviews, and personal commentaries!

You can find Read Away The Day here:

Like I said, Artistic, Poetic, more things that end in tic. So when you think about poems, art, music, books and the blender of emotions that all of this have, think about Read Away The Day ;)

Monday, May 16, 2011

Seventeen-year old Sarah’s life is turned upside down when her single mom is sent to jail. She’s forced to move, leaving behind everything she’s ever known, including her best friend Sydney. Lost and bitter in a new school, her one goal is to save money and move back home. Then she meets Angel Moreno.

Enigmatic but gorgeous, Angel is almost too good to be true. Except for one thing, his archaic belief that guys and girls can never be “just friends”. The problem? Sarah’s best friend Sydney is not a girl.

With their unexpected romance intensifying to places neither ever experienced, how long can Sarah keep Angel in the dark? And how will he react when the truth finally comes out?

My Review:

Oh My God I LOVED this book!!! It was amazing!! I’ll stop gushing and go to the point:

Reading the plot you can immediately associate it with the Perfect Chemistry novels by Simone Elkeles. Good Girl falls in love with Trouble Mexican boy. Yes, they do share this in common but they also could have not been more different. Angel – Main character of Forever Mine – is a Mexican boy that doesn’t know Spanish xD and he is a good guy, just a little bit of a Don Juan – he goes out with a few lotta girls – but when a girl with sad green eyes enters his life, everything changes. Meet Sarah, who just came to live to La Jolla in San Diego – I spend most of my time there :D!! – because of some problems her mother’s in, she’s determined not to get too attached to things because as soon as she can she goes back to Arizona to live with his Best Friend Sydney.

But obviously things never go as planned. She’s soon completely and hopelessly in Love with Angel Moreno. But still, there are things both have to work out and discover that it is not easy to come clean and also to forgive.

Angel and Sarah’s relationship goes really quick, too quick I’d say. I wasn’t buying it, but then they date more and more and more and some more and you just can’t help but thing they are PERFECT for each other. The story is predictable – you can tell how things are going just by the summary – but it still takes some twist and turns you just don’t see coming and how things unraveled is just beautiful.

But I really think that what makes this novel so strong and powerful is the support characters. They are all just so beautiful and unique that they all make a chain. You take one out, everything breaks. Eric, the voice of reason and – in Angel’s words – dumb. Romero, the one that always gets drunk and says stupid yet hilarious things – in Angel’s words – dumber. Alex, Moreno bother number 2, total flirt, hot ‘till the ends, sparks definitely fly. Sydney, Sarah’s BFF and her voice of reason, he’ll always have her back. Valerie, fearless and she’s part of Sarah’s straight. Sofia, she adds the spark and also becomes your best friend. and of course there's Sarah, she’s so much worth than what she gives credit to herself and Angel, whom is determined to show her her beauty and also he’s afraid of what he feel, but is still giving it all to Sarah; he can be sometimes possessive and goes into “macho” mode, but he learns to loosen up.

If you love Romance, some romance, a little bit of romance and some more romance, this is the book for you. I Loved it. I recommend it. I gush about it. I Loved it. :DD!

""What?” Eric shook his head. “Angel Moreno is into talking to chicks now? When did you turn into a total wuss?"

Angel shrugged, and took another bite of his food.

He avoided looking at Eric; suddenly not sure he wanted to talk about it. “I don’t know, dude, she’s just cool to hang with, I guess.”

Eric nodded, as if he got it. “So, you’re not into her? I thought she was pretty hot.”

“I’m into her, you ass, just ‘cause I didn’t bone her the first night. Not all girls are like that, you know.”

My name is Elizabeth Reyes. I've been writing all my life for fun and only recently decided to join the indie world. I am working on a romance series entitled The Moreno Brothers about the love lives of 3 brothers living in La Jolla California. The first in the series, "Forever Mine". Forever Mine was released in on the Kindle September of this year and has received good reviews thus far.I'm hoping to have the 2nd in the series "Always Been Mine" out by early 2011.

Interview:

1.- In Between Writing And Reading what do you like to do?Elizabeth Reyes: Well aside from spending time with my wonderful family my other interests are cooking (readers will notice a lot of mention of food in my books, there's a reason) I've always enjoyed cooking up all kinds of dishes and snacks. I also love walking. I'm up to five miles a day now. I find it therapeutic plus a lot of my story ideas come to me as I walk so it serves two purposes.

2.- Convince me to buy your Book Twitter Style. 140 characters or less. GO!ER: Wow I have lots of these. One of my favorites is,

One girl, an intense new boyfriend, the guy she left back home...this gets explosive! Forever Mine a YA romance must read!

3.- How is it that you came up with the story for Forever Mine?

ER: I've always loved writing. This particular story came came to me many many years ago when I was in high school. It sat only 7 chapters written until I came across it finally and decided to finish and publish it. I actually did go to school with three very popular (Hot) brothers. I suppose that's where the idea came from. But I knew little about them so the story itself and the characters are entirely made up.

4.- As I mentioned in my review, I LOVED all the characters, they where all so strong an unique and important. How is it that you created so many supportive characters, made them be noticed, found their own voices, and gave them life?ER: I have a big extended family and many many friends. There are so many different characters in my life, when I write I incorporate a little of all their personalities into my characters. Sometimes blending two different personalities into one character. Also I pretty much knew there would be more to the side characters in coming novels so keeping that in mind and their own stories ready to be told I enjoyed giving the reader a taste of what's to come.

5.- Tell us something at random :P

Before I ever dreamed of becoming a published writer I used to dream of becoming a famous singer. Back in my day I did A LOT of karaoke. Needless to say I stick to writing now. =)

6.- Now Between You And Me, what's in store for the future?

ER: Forever Mine is the first in a series of 3 full length novels The Moreno Brothers and a shorter related novel about their kid sister. The next in the series is about the middle brother Alex Moreno. His is actually going to be more of an adult contemporary romance since it takes place a few years later. Since he and his love interest are both a bit older it will be a bit more adult. But you will see a lot of the same faces in about.

I plan on releasing the novella between the 2nd and 3d full length novels. "Sweet Sofie". Her's will be YA and span the life of Sofia from when she was a kid growing up in a house full of overbearing overprotective brothers through her college years. So readers get to read about the Moreno Brothers when they were kids and they grew into men.

Finally the last in the series tentatively entitled "Making You Mine." I anticipate to be the longest about the oldest of the brothers, Sal.

Thank you so much for having me on your blog. You can find me at www.ElizabethReyes.com or follow me on Twitter @AuthorElizabeth. I'm also on GoodReads and the Facebook fan page for Forever Mine is

Sunday, May 15, 2011

It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live.

A job in a clothes boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. Together they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she’s been denied; for Eli, to come to terms with the guilt he feels for the death of a friend.

In her signature pitch-perfect style, Sarah Dessen explores the hearts of two lonely people learning to connect.

My Review:

When I first saw the trailer for Along for The Ride I was SOOO disappointed. I thought the story line sounded shallow and just so not Sarah Dessen…. I bought it, but it took me 8 months to actually pick it up and read it. I think I hate the trailer. It is one of my favorite books of all time and I’ve re-read it like twelve times already. Yup, I hate the trailer :)

Ok, so, for those of you who haven’t seen the trailer it is here, though I’ll still say the short version. Auden – main character of Along For The Ride – makes out with a guy on the beach and he has a girlfriend and she meets the girlfriend and oh boy she is in trouble. Shallow. Though this DOES happen but it happens in 2 chapters! At the beginning! And once you’ve finished it you can’t even remember that scene!

Here’s how things go: Auden goes to spend her summer with her dad and her new wife and baby, Auden does not feel thrilled about this but, she’ll be going off to college soon and so she goes visit her dad. Auden has been having trouble sleeping since the problems with her parents started and she finds that hard habits are hard to break, so she just lives thanks to coffee and keeps not sleeping. Soon she find herself working at a boutique with a bunch of girls that act like, well, teens and Auden has spent most of her teenage years trying to be perfect for her demanding mother instead of actually living a life and being, well, a teen.

In the middle of her non-sleeping episodes, she meets Eli – because there’s always a boy. A guy who seems haunted and that hides a secret from his past, but he is also in a mission to give Auden back her life and show her what she’s missed out on and what she can still have. Soon they are spending every night together, setting out on different tasks, and also, learning how to ride a bike – at least Auden.

Along for the ride is a lesson to let go, to always get back on that bike no matter how many times you fall, to go on a quest, and to enjoy the ride.

This is my favorite Sarah Dessen Novel so far. Can’t wait to get What Happened With Goodbye in my hands :)

Last but not Least: Only Sarah Dessen could’ve done it :P

"It shouldn't be easy to be amazing. then everything would be. It's the thing you fight for and struggle with before earning that have the greatest worth. When something difficult to come by, you'll do that much more to make sure it's even harder--or impossible-- to lose."

Sixteen-year-old Macy Queen is looking forward to a long, boring summer. Her boyfriend is going away. She's stuck with a dull-as-dishwater job at the library. And she'll spend all of her free time studying for the SATs or grieving silently with her mother over her father's recent unexpected death. But everything changes when Macy is corralled into helping out at one of her mother's open house events, and she meets the chaotic Wish Catering crew. Before long, Macy joins the Wish team. She loves everything about the work and the people. But the best thing about Wish is Wes—artistic, insightful, and understanding Wes—who gets Macy to look at life in a whole new way, and really start living it.

My Review:

Am I allowed to say that I thought this was the most boring Sarah Dessen Book ever? WAIT! Before you jump at my throat and start cursing my way – it has happened O.O – am I also allowed to say that this book is also one of my favorites? Now allow me to explain – just bear with me for a sec.

After reading six of all the Sarah Dessen novels I think I can divide her main characters in two: shy and introvert and others rougher around the edges. Ruby – main character of Lock and Key – is a bit par of the “rougher around the edges” and she’s definitely my favorite character of this category. I think she’s one of the most complex and beautiful characters of all Sarah Dessen Novels.

What I loved most about this book was the theme: Family. The whole book centered more around Ruby’s family, in her other books, SD centers more around the boy or the friends. In Lock and Key it was Family. But of course we have Nate – because there’s always a boy – who was a great support for Ruby and the story in general, but not the most important. Surprisingly my favorite characters in the story where Ruby’s brother in law and her sister Cora, they were just great supporting characters.

I really think that the beauty of this novel is how it touches such delicate subjects, like being abandoned, to know what a family is and to learn how to love it, and to understand that even when it looks like a dead end, there are still doors to unlock.

Why did I thought about Lock and Key as boring? I just think that a few chapters where way to long and that maybe a few paragraphs and chapters could’ve been cut. I just found it a little tedious to read at some times but, other than that, it was pure perfection.

What I got out of Lock and Key was this:

Home, is where your story begins. Home, is where your family is. And family, is the one you choose.

In Memorable Quotes I attached my favorite quote of ALL the Sarah Dessen novels, which belong to Lock and Key; and just that paragraph makes every single boring sentence in the book worth it xD.

Once more:

Only Sarah Dessen could have done it.

"It's a lot easier to be lost than found. It's the reason we're always searching and rarely discovered--so many locks not enough keys."

"What is family? They were the people who claimed you. In good, in bad, in parts or in whole, they were the ones who showed up, who stayed in there, regardless. It wasn't just about blood relations or shared chromosomes, but something wider, bigger. Cora was right- we had many families over time. Our family of origion, the family we created, as well as the gorups you moved thorugh while all of this was happening: friends, lovers, sometimes even strangers.

None of them were perfect, and we couldn't expect them to be. You couldn't make any one person your world. The trick was to take what each could give you and build a world from it. So my true family was not just my mom, lost or found; my dad, gone from the start; and Cora, the only one who had really been there all along. It was Jamie, who took me in without question and gave me a future I once couldn't even imagine; Oliva, who did question, but also gave me answers; Harriet, who, like me, believed she needed no one and discovered otherwise. And then there was Nate.

Nate, who was a friend to me before I even knew what a friend was. Who picked me up, literally, over and over again, and never asked for anything in return except for my word and my understanding. I'd given him one but not the other, because at the time I thought I couldn't, and then proved myself right by doing exactly as my mother had, hurting to prevent from being hurt myself. Needing was so easy: it came naturally, like breathing. Being needed by someone else, though, that was the hard part. But as with giving help and accepting it, we had to do both to be made complete- like links overlapping to form a chain, or a lock finding the right key.

SummarySixteen-year-old Macy Queen is looking forward to a long, boring summer. Her boyfriend is going away. She's stuck with a dull-as-dishwater job at the library. And she'll spend all of her free time studying for the SATs or grieving silently with her mother over her father's recent unexpected death. But everything changes when Macy is corralled into helping out at one of her mother's open house events, and she meets the chaotic Wish Catering crew. Before long, Macy joins the Wish team. She loves everything about the work and the people. But the best thing about Wish is Wes—artistic, insightful, and understanding Wes—who gets Macy to look at life in a whole new way, and really start living it.

My Review:

This book really is one of my favorites of Sarah Dessen and I think it is also one of the most beautiful. I really liked the way Macy finds herself through the story and how she grows. How her idea of being “perfect” changes thanks to the people that surround her, like Kristy, whom I loved, her humors, he outfits and the way she see’s life. Also, I LOVED Monica, even though she only says like two words in the whole book – no kidding – but those two words where just about enough.

And of course there’s Wes – because there’s always a boy – the kind of boy that can see the beauty in almost everything and can also find perfection in everything that surrounds him, and determined to make his own definition of things.

In a busy summer of catering, total chaos – while working in the catering *cough* Delia *cough* - Daring friends – Kristy – monotone and silent friends – Monica – funny and sparkly friends – Bert – and someone to fall back on – Wes – Macy goes in search of answers, of her father, to make her mother listen and to get back her life, and even discovered she had wings all along – it’s so she can fly

I really think that the beauty of this novel – aside from the plot of course – is the supporting characters. Of all the Sarah Dessen Novels I’ve read I think this is the one where all of the characters where lovable, jumped right of the page, and were as exquisite as sitting under a tree in a beautiful summer night reading a “perfect” book - *cough* The Truth About Forever *cough*

Funny, how this book is about learning that perfection does not exist, or that it does but that it is in each one of us and I personally think this book achieved total perfection.

Only Sarah Dessen could’ve done it.

"I don't get it,' Caroline said, bemused. 'She's the only one with wings. Why is that?'
There were so many questions in life. You couldn't ever have all the answers. But I knew this one.
It's so she can fly,' I said. Then I started to run."

PNR and UF Fanatics is a blog managed by two hard working girls, Amber and Ashley, whom just LOVE Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy - could you ever guess? - with great reviews that also follow the newest releases, to news on the casting for movies.

This time I got to Interview Amber, let's see what she has to say ;) :

1.- In Between Writing And Reading what do you like to do?
I own a freelance graphic design business, called eTHINK Graphic Solutions. It's just me right now, but I hope to grow it. I love doing book covers, CD/DVD sleeves, and Music promotions. I'm also on a pool league that meets twice a week!

2.- Convince me to Join your Blog Twitter Style, 140 Characters or less. Go!
It is for PNR & UF fanatics, YA and Adult! We stay updated with the latest news and great reviews on the best PNR/UF books and it's always fun! Lots of contests & giveaways!
3.- A Drink. A Meal. And A Desert.
Diet Coke. Chicken Fettucini Alfredo. Derbie Pie.
4.- Why is it that you love so much Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy?
I got started on PNR & UF through Twilight. It will always have a place in my heart. However, after reading so many other amazing books in this genre, I now understand the love-hate relationship so many people have with it. I think a lot my love for this genre is just that it's a way to escape into a world where there is constant action, but no real danger, constant love, with no real broken heart, and always a cover to close when you can't take anymore. My books are safe and I love them!

5.- And you also have a club on Goodreads that runs by the same name as your blog, which one came first?
Our group on GR came first, but the blog is the purpose. I wanted to get a big enough following through the group and then advertise the blog. It's a lot harder to get blog recognition than it is to get people to join our group on GR, so by building one, I can build the other.

6.- Let’s say that you loved a book so much that you Literary shoved it down peoples throats – Ok, maybe not Literary – In which case, which one would it be?
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The whole trilogy is just amazing. I think there's a real message in that story and everyone shoud read it!

7.- And now, to be fair, you can give us a more detailed description of you blog :)
Our blog is for true fanatics of the PNR/UF genre. We write honest reviews for the books we've read and stay up to date on things like books to movies transitions, new releases, teasers, news, cover reveals, and lots of random stuff that readers want to know. We have fun and we love getting new followers. We also receive ARCs to review from authors and we are working on getting author interviews as well.

You can find PNR and UF Fanatics here:

Ashley and Amber are also the Moderators of a club on Goodreads that runs by the same name as their blog. You can visit in the link above :))

I really don’t think this book is something to be rated R. If fact I think that twelve-year olds should be reading it. But your opinions might be different of mine. So read the summary and then proceed cautiously. You have been Warned…… But I still think you should read it :P

Summary:What's it like to have sex for the first time? Seventy-two people, young and old, gay and straight, responded to the call for answers and those answers are in The Virgin Diaries. This candid collection of stories provides a unique opportunity to be a fly on the wall. There is no commentary. The stories stand on their own, allowing the reader to form his or her own conclusions. Whether you are a virgin and desire to make an informed decision or are looking for a walk down Memory Lane, The Virgin Diaries offers confidential insights into one of life's most personal experiences. What's it like to have sex for the first time? Seventy-two people, young and old, gay and straight, responded to the call for answers and those answers are in The Virgin Diaries. This candid collection of stories provides a unique opportunity to be a fly on the wall. There is no commentary. The stories stand on their own, allowing the reader to form his or her own conclusions. Whether you are a virgin and desire to make an informed decision or are looking for a walk down Memory Lane, The Virgin Diaries offers confidential insights into one of life's most personal experiences.

My Review:

I am a strong believer that Women and Men should be able to embrace their sexuality a 100% and that everything that goes with it shouldn’t be seen as a Taboo.

So when I saw this book I was like, seriously? A book for virgins? That is soo cool! Never in my life have I encountered a book for virgins! – maybe I’ve been living under a rock – and where I’m from Sex is a BIG No, No. and honestly, to this day I don’t know of many sources to learn about sex; the Kama Sutra? You kidding? If you’re 13 years old and read it you just end up traumatized – at least me and my buddies did xD - Porn – that was even worse than the Kama Sutra – Parents? NEVER!, School?... I’m actually going to skip this one. They practically just throw you out into the world without telling you how to survive it! So books like this one come down from heaven! They should force every single teenager to read books like this. And it is not something to be like “OMG! That’s disgusting!” or for pervs or anything. It’s a book that really opens your eyes, in a good way.

There were stories that left me thinking “Seriously? People still believe that?” others that had me laughing out loud, or saying “No Way!”, some others were just plain crazy O.o, and others where just sweet and almost perfect.

This books is a MUST read for Virgins as well as non-virgins. Virgins will find almost everything they need inside this book, come out with more knowledge and also feel more comfortable with themselves. And non-virgins will understand that, even if their first time wasn’t at all that great, there are worst, FAR more worst; And as far as sex goes, I seriously doubt you will ever understand it 100%. So just read it xD.

From boys hiding in Closets – No Kidding – to old school thinking and the perfect night. This book has almost any story you can imagine. From twelve year old not so virgins to 40 year old really virgins. 100% Guarantee to be useful. Whether you are a Virgin or Not. Even our dear Ben Franklin decided to stop by ;)

Kimberley A. Johnson was born in Baltimore Maryland and raised in Southern California. During the 1980-81 school year, she lived with her father, a network news cameraman which provided the opportunity to attend the Anglo American School in Moscow Russia. She portrayed a police officer on the popular daytime drama Days Of Our Lives for over seven years. The make-up crew referred to her as "Diva Cop." Currently, Kimberley is a regular guest on The Jorge Rodriguez Show on Sofloradio.com. She also has a background in sales, including fine bone china, perfume, industrial chemicals and energy and is now pursuing her dream of conquering the world. She resides in Northern California.

Interview:

In Between Writing And Reading what do you like to do?

Kimberley A,. Johnson: I spend time with my friends. I love it most with a cozy group. I also love spending time with my kitties and watching a good movie! And FOOD!!! I LOVE food!!

K.A.J.: Find out what it feels like emotionally as well as physically to have sex for the first time. Seventy-two men & women unlock the mystery.

What made you decide to write a book for virgins?

K.A.J.: The idea came to me in a conversation with my mother. I thought it would be an interesting read. I also wished I would have had a source to turn to when I was younger. Nobody tells you what it's really like. Parents often don't feel comfortable discussing sex with their children and friends can sometimes mislead you. We didn't want to tell anyone how to think or feel. We wanted them to get a better understanding from a completely objective standpoint so they could make a more informed decision when they felt the time was right. We watch so much reality television, We wanted to make a reality book. We have been happily surprised that people of all ages and backgrounds enjoy reading it as well. We do all love to be a fly on the wall...

How was the process of getting the book done and how long did it took you?

K.A.J.: I started collecting stories from women only in 2004. I then opened it up to men and gay individuals to provide a broader range. The last story I got was in 2009. I utilized my friends but I mainly found anonymous people via the Internet. My mother, Ann Werner joined me in the collection and the editing in 2005. We pitched it to agents but never found anyone interested (a common lament with indie authors) so we decided that we would publish it ourselves and we did in 2010. In late 2009 I reconnected with a friend and artist, Ralph Faust from high school and he enthusiastically offered to design the format. He created the cover and our Ark Stories logo. He was instrumental in the entire design process. Both my mother and I loved his ideas and were thrilled with the final product. We are working with him now on our second title due out later this month.

When you started getting the stories, where you shocked by the responses that you got?

K.A.J.: Yes! Many of the stories shocked us. It was very interesting, though not all that surprising that the males enjoyed their first time so much more than the females. We were also very surprised that the oldest virgin was a thirty-two year old male and the youngest was a twelve year old female. We found it intriguing that there was more guilt associated with the younger generation. One of the women who provided her story was seventy-seven and she lost her virginity when she was fifteen. She said that she liked it and wanted more. Can you imagine your grandmother saying that to you?

Side Note [Jude]: I personally thought that that story was one of the pretty ones and romantic ones. It has now become the creepy one...

Tell us something at random :P

K.A.J.: For seven years I played a Police Officer on the daytime drama Days Of Our Lives. The make-up crew referred to me as "Diva Cop."

And now, Between You and Me, what are your plans for the future? The Virgin Diaries 2.0 ^^?

K.A.J.: My mother and I are just about to release our second title; Ain't No Sunshine - Men Reveal The Pain Of Heartbreak. We interviewed thirty-eight men on how they deal with lost love. Ann is also a fiction writer, so as soon as Ain't No Sunshine is out, we will start getting ready to release her novel Dreams And Nightmares.

Thank You So Much for the opportunity of reviewing your book and for the Interview! :D

Thank you for the positive review and the opportunity to share some of how it all came to be. I would like to add that our books are Print On Demand & Kindle on Amazon and other online booksellers. We are not in bookstores. If anyone is interested in purchasing a copy but doesn't have a credit card, you can order one at an independent bookstore. They will order it for you and you can pick it up at the store. A bigger chain will do the same but they will ship it to your home. All of this information can be found on our site arkstories.com. Thank you again Jude. It has been my pleasure!

Friday, May 6, 2011

Circle time! Time to share. What character in a book would you most like to be, what character in a book would you most like to date?

Whom I'd like to date? whom.... I would say Will from Clockwork Angel or Patch from Hush Hush but, to be honest, I don't like guys that act like jerks for whatever reason they do it. I'M the one who's sarcastic all the time so, when other people is, we just clash xD

I'd like to date Adam from If I Stay by Gaile Foreman :))

and as to whom I would want to be, would you believe if I say I can't think of anyone? I LOVE so many characters and Love whom they are, Love the situations they are in and LOVE that I can completley connect with them but, as to actually BEING them, I wouln't even think of changin myself?The only character I can think of is Jena from Tangled by Carolyn Mackler and we're practically The Same. Like Literary. we even have the same eye color o.O

The more and more I got into the Reading/Reviewing/Writing World, the more the word Indie Books came across me. And I wondered, what the heck are Indie Books? They turned out to be self-published books. Oh-oh… beware of Self-published books. Things like “They are bad and just plain trash.” And “Don’t EVER read self-published works” usually come along when talking about Indie Books. And for those of you who write and seek to be published, I’m sure you’ve also come across with “Don’t EVER EVER EVER go self-published. It’s the worst thing you could do!”

And you get your mind wrapped up around the fact that Indie Books are works published by people that didn’t knew how to write and just wanted to get published. And that Indie Authors are just people that “think” they can write.

So when I got my first offer you review and Indie Book, I was more than hesitant, but finally gave in. The book blew my mind off!. I wasn’t expecting at all what I read. It was a REALLY great book that even became one of my favorites. Slowly I began to enter the world of Indie Books, and I have encountered Amazing, talented and brilliant authors, with stories that deserve to be known. And I wonder, why is it that this books don’t get “Officially published” why can’t people see just how much they are worth? It’s frustrating.

This is why the Indie Spotlight was created, because we want to let everyone know about Indie Authors and their value. Most of them just weren’t given the chance, for this or for that, or because it was just the wrong time – I say most because I don’t doubt there are bad Indie book out there but, so far I’ve only encountered good ones :))

Indie Authors are mostly just like any other Published Author, just waiting to be fully discovered and come out. Most of them have the talent and the stories, they just need a chance.

The In Between Blog supports Indie Writers.

Interview with an Indie Writer - K.C. Blake

1.- I’ve seen a lot of talent in the Indie World. In general, why do you think that these pieces get rejected? Bad timing or rotten luck?

K.C. B.: It's hard to say what goes wrong when there are good books not being published and some stuff that is awful hitting the bestseller list. I imagine it is bad luck in part, but I can only truly speak for myself. Although I had the idea for Vampires Rule years ago, I didn't finish it until after the release of Twilight. I found an agent who loved the book, but she couldn't find a publisher. A few editors told us they didn't want to risk putting out another 'vampire book' in a market already saturated with them.

2.- What are the biggest challenges you’ve encountered being an Indie Author?

K.C. B.: There's the marketing for one. I hate it. On some sites people refer to it as 'pimping your novel,' and that's exactly what it feels like. Talking about my work does not come naturally to me. It's been hard. Also, I've had problems with people online and off who think self-published books have to be garbage because otherwise they would have a 'real' publisher. Sometimes I'm talking to someone and they seem excited about my book until I mention that it's at Smashwords. Once they learn it is a self-published book, their eyes glaze over and they seem less than happy to be talking to me.

3.- In your Blog you mentioned you had preconceived Ideas about Indie Writers. What were they?

K.C. B.: I guess I felt the same way about them. The fact is that a lot of self-published authors (at least in the past) had horrible books with little to no editing, plots that didn't make sense, and covers that looked like a five-year-old slapped it together. They don't call them 'vanity presses' for nothing. I think the problem was a lot of those people wrote books on a whim. They didn't want to dedicate their lives to writing, take the time to learn their craft, or pay their dues. Because of a few bad examples, I thought all self-published books were junk. Now I know different.

4.- What made you take the final jump to go Indie?

Like I said above, I had an agent and she tried her best to find a home for Vampires Rule. Unfortunately my timing was off. One editor even told me she would have been happy to publish the book had I sent it to her a couple years earlier. Becoming an Indie Writer seemed the best way to go.

5.- Now you are immersed in this world, what is your conclusion about Indie Authors and their work?

K.C. B.: Now I see that writers and their books need to be judged on a case by case basis. There are some good books on the shelves and some terrible ones. The same can be said about self-published works. There are some good and some bad. Individual readers need to be the judge of what they think is good. Hopefully more and more people will start giving self-published books a shot.

6.- What words would you like to say to other Indie Writers, any advice?

K.C. B.: Take your time. Don't just throw the book together and upload it. Edit it over and over again. Have other people look for mistakes, and start marketing early.

7.- And to the bloggers, how can we know when to trust in Indie Books?

K.C. B.: Fortunately Smashwords usually allows a person to download a sample of the book. In my case, you can try five or six chapters, read them, and then decide if you want to buy it. I wouldn't just blindly trust an Indie book, but I would be willing to read a sampling before making a decision.

8.- Last but Not Least, are you proud to be a YA Urban Fantasy writer?

K.C. B.: Yes, I am. I have loved YA for years and if I can give back even a fraction of the joy these books have brought to my life, then my work is done.

Humans turn into vampires; vampires don't turn mortal again... until now. Jack has to deal with normal life again, but how normal can it be with a hunter girlfriend, a brother who wants to stake him just to be safe, and a psychotic werewolf on the loose?

They don't call him Jackpot for nothing.

Seventeen-year-old Jack always beats the odds... at least until now. When a werewolf tried to kill him ten years ago, vampires saved his life. At first he was grateful. Then he realized he couldn't go home to his brother, couldn't return to his old life. Humans can become vampires; vampires can't become mortal again, but somehow Jack gets lucky. Like a cat, he always lands on his feet. He wakes up one morning without fangs, and the sunlight doesn't set him on fire. This is it, his dream, only it's real this time. What could possibly go wrong?

Enter a pretty hunter with dark secrets, a brother who wants to stake him just to be on the safe side, and a psychotic werewolf. Now we have a party.

Vampires Rule souds like a great book! I'll be reading it this week and hope to have my review ready by Next Week!! So, stay tunned ;)

Wow, you had “The Clock Monkey” and “Mi Café Litarario” already, and then you go and make “Deliriously Falling”! What were you thinking? O.O How do you make time for all of those!?

Deliriously Falling: Yeah, I had both blogs, but the idea for having a Lauren Oliver Fanpage was very insistent, it wouldn't leave me alone. I was thinking I'd get help! And I did. Reg and Lori are contributors to the site, and I'm about to choose three more, as I want the site to evolve into something more like Mundie Moms and Late Bloomer Online: a fansite/YA review blog. I think we'd be more of a community that way. I'm a witch, and Hermione lends me her Time Turner, that's how I make time for everything. ;)

Deliriously Falling is a fan page for Lauren Oliver, I assume the main idea for this blog was your love for the book Delirium and Before I Fall – by the same author. Book bloggers naturally love books. What made Delirium and Before I Fall so special that you created a fan page for them – and Lauren Oliver Of Course?

DF: Before I Fall left me feeling like someone had punched me in the chest. It's amazing how Lauren makes Sam go from an unsympathetic character to one I'm rooting for at the end of the book. I can't think of any other author who's ever done that before, other than J. K. Rowling, but she's in a different league all together.

BIF made me think of everything we give for granted, and look back on them, analising them better: the way we approach our families, our friendships, our love. It's the best book of 2010 for me.

Reading Delirium was similar. It knocked the breath right out of me. I was left crying and feeling despaired... until I learned it was the first in a series and that there was hope for Alex.

Starting DF was an impulse. I wanted -and still do- to reach out to other fans. In fact, I'm thinking of starting a Forum, but I'm gonna wait until I have my three new contributors, because I'm really busy with uni stuff!

BIF and Delirium are two of my all time favourite books, and Lauren Oliver, my favourite author (again, JKR is not an author; she's a writing goddess). Lauren's writing style seeped into my bones and doesn't want to leave.

How does it feel like to get a thank you video from Lauren Oliver?

DF: It felt OH. MY. GOD. SO amazing. My favourite author was speaking to me! And that was just the beginning! Lauren is a great person, I've grown to build a relationship with her, and that made me love her all the more. She's super modest and genuine, and I love that about her.

What stuff do you do in Deliriously Falling? Aside from stalking Lauren Oliver of course ^^?

DF: We're about to launch our Book of the Month feature, and take a turn, to make it more of a general YA site, with of course, a focus on Lauren and her literary life.

All of this at 19. Proud of yourself? You Must be! :D

DF: I'd never thought of it like that. When you put it like this, then yeah! I'm super happy.

Ella Press Studio: You know how it is: you want a unique layout, but you just can't find one that suits your blog.

So I started reading tutorials on how to make some changes to your blog yourself, and then, I started playing with the HTML codes of various test themes, until I figured out what changing something would do, or if I put something like this or that, I'd have a different result. Design tutorials are everywhere nowadays, you just need a little basic knowledge, and you're all set!

You always wanted to do this? Blogging, Desing, Reviewing? Or did it just unraveled on its own?

EPS: It definitely unraveled on its own. I started blogging because I wanted to, which led me to the book blogging world, and reviewing; and then, designing.

And your Blogs? Did you said “I want to make 4 blog minimum!” or where they all spontaneous?

EPS: Spontaneous! I pay more attention to TCM, DF and MCL, EPS is barely starting out, and I *just* opened a Romance review blog, TCM's Love Shack, because I didn't feel it was right to put my more Mature reviews on the same place where I review YA.

I also have a Facebook page for TCM, MCL and DF, a Twitter for myself (TCM/MCL) and another for DF; a Tumblr, and a personal blog, where I post now and then.

And you still have a life right? xD

EPS: LOL. I do! Although, lately I barely have time to read and write. My WIP is feeling abandoned! But I love the city I'm living in now, I love my university, and my friends.

You are definitely a Blogger that deserves praise, and one that has worked hard to get where she’s now. Thank You for being part of Blogger Lift. Ever need a Blogger Friend? I’ll be here :)

EPS: THANK YOU! And I love making new friends, you can count on me too :)

The Next Interview is not in English to fit the Blog that's being Interviewed.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?
All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....

My Review:

I’m going to say a few things before I start my review:

A long while I go I stopped reading. Not completely but, I was reading a book a week instead of one a day, and there were some books that took me three weeks even. I was blaming it all on school and thought that my blog and club where the one consuming my time. I just realized that I was just missing the right book. I started the firsts chapters of this book and then went to doing other stuff, and I just couldn’t keep my mind off from the story, it was all I could think of; but I really was busy that day so I leaved it at that. Yesterday I went back to the book and yesterday I finished it. It had been so long, since I felt that hunger for a book. So long since I had connected so deeply with a character even though we shared nothing in common ^^. So a Big Thank to everyone who insisted that I needed to read Going Too Far and for marking it as their favorites, If it weren’t for all those high ratings and recommendation I would have never discovered Going Too Far, and would have never re-discovered my huge Love for Reading. Thank You :)

Now I’ll start my review:

Going Too Far is a story that circles around the relationship between Meg and John. John is a cop that follows the law strictly and never goes out of line, he takes care of everything and watched closely a haunted bridge. A bridge that holds all his inner demons, to a point where he becomes one himself. And Meg, whom is determined to cross all the lines and break every boundary, if only to prove that she’s living and that she has lived; and also someone who runs and runs. She just wants to get away from everything.

At the beginning of the book Meg breaks some big rules and so Officer John takes control of the situations, punishing Meg by taking away her spring break and forcing her to spend it with him while he’s on duty. Naturally, she hates him. But through the course of her punishment Meg and John start to develop something. Something maybe close to Friendship? Or is it something more…?

And so with this thing going on, they start to push each other, further, further. John wanting Meg inside the lines and Meg wanting to push John outside them. Who wins…?

Going Too Far is one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read. What I most Love about it is that it’s not just the girl that has issues. That the guys isn’t 100% fine and it’s going to help her with everything. No, they both help each other out and I just think this is a wonderful book and a must read.

About Me

Hi! My name is Jude, like a Beattles song. I was born on a warm summer night but it's cold rainy winter days the ones I like most. I like to sit on my bed and read all night long. I have an undeniable passion for music, poetry, books, writing, making videos and design. My cats and my dogs are the things I love most in this world. And In Between all those things, I like to blog. Welcome :)